Protective device



g- 1929- R. w. JOHNSON 1,725,866

PROTECTIVE DEVI GE Filed May 8, 1926 [XI "ENTOR.

A T TORNE Y5 l 'atented Aug. 27, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROY W. JOHNSON, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR, BY M ESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO TIME-O-STAT CONTROLS COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF MARYLAND.

PROTECTIVE DEVICE.

Application filed May 8, 1926. Serial No. 107,703.

This invention relates to improvements in protective devices, and more particularly to a shield for protecting the lowermost convolution of the water 0011 of a gas water heater from direct exposure to the flame of the pilot burner.

It is well known that in certain types of distant control apparatus for controlling the flow ofgas to'the main burner or burners of a gas water heater, the pilot burner is mounted in rather close proximity to the lowermost convolution of the heater coil and that the latter, if not protected in some way from direct exposure to the flame of the pilot, will in time burn through, necessitating replacement, which is comparatively costly. 1n distant control apparatus of the type referred to, it is also common to provide a pilot thermostat for automatically preventing opening of the main valve should the pilot be .extinguished.

The free end'of such thermostat usually projects into the heater casing, terminating within range of the pilot.

One object of. the present invention is to 5 provide an improved protective device of the character described which shall be in the form of a shield having means for operatively mounting the same in association with the pilot burner, and which shall also include means providing for the upward circulation of heat past the pilot thermostat so that the latter will notbeunduly influenced or injuriously affected by either the heat of the pilot or the heat of the main burner, or the combined heat of both.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings whereinone form of the invention is il- I lustrated.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation ofa gas water heater equipped with one type of pilot and burner control apparatus, and showing the protective device of the present invention operatively installed;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary perspective View of the outer end of the supporting bracket of the control apparatus; and

vFigure 3 is a perspective viewof the protective device.

Referring more in detatil to the drawin s, 10 indicates generally a gas water heater, 1; e same comprising the usual water coil 11, main gas burner 12 to which gas or other suitable fuel is admitted through the pipe 13, and 14 the usual heat confining housing or casing which encloses the coil and the burner 15 indlcates the main gas supply pipe which supplies fuel both to the pilot and the main burner. 2 a

The particular control apparatus selected for illustration and shown in the drawings comprises a valve casing'16 adapted to house the main gas valve for controlling the flow of gas from the supply pipe 15 to the main burner, this casing being interposed between and connecting the main supply pipe 15 with the burner pipe 13. The main valve housed within the casing 16 may be of the usual sliding type and provided with an operative stem 17 headed at its outer end and engaged by one arm of operating lever 18, the latter being pivotally supported in any suitable manner as at 19. Lever 18 is lifted to open the valve by means of a cable 20 usually operable from some distant point of control. The valve is closed by releasing cable 20 whereupon weight .21 positively actuates the lever in the reverse direction. The casing 16 is rigidly secured to the housing 14 of the heater by a bracket 22, the outer end of this bracket being bifurcated and'bent upwardly to provide two attaching flanges 23 conforming to the curvature of the housing 14 to which they are attached by suitable fasteners. Carried by the upward extension 16' of the valve casing 16 is an elongated pilot burner tube 24 and a termostat 25, these elements being housed within a tube 26 and extending through the housing of the heater intothe latter, terminating above the main burner 12. It will be observed that the thermostat, positioned as shown, will be kept hot while the pilot light is burning. The action of the thermostat under heat is such that it, through suitable mechanism (not shown) housed within casing 26, will permit gas to be V supplied to the main burner each time the tion. 4

I drawings operatively installed. The device,

which may be' of integral construction, comprises a shieldlike portion 31 provided with converging flanges 32 at its forward end. At its opposite end depending attaching lugs 33 are provided, these being slotted as at 34 for receiving the attaching or fastening members. Attaching lugs 33 are disposed at a slight angle one to the other so as to conform to the curvature of the inner surface of the heater housing 14, it being preferred to attach these lugs directly to the inner surface of said hous ing and, in the pilot and burner control apparatus illustrated, by means of the same fas tening members employed for attaching the flanges 23 of bracket 22, slots 34 permitting of vertical adjustment of the shield with respect to the pilot burner. At the same end of the. shieldlike portion from which the attaching lugs depend, a lip 35 is struck up providing a passage through the shieldlike portion immediately adjacent the casing of the heater, the lip acting as a shield between this passage and the adjacent portion of the lowermost convolution 37 of the water coil. The main shielding portion of the protective device extends, as better shown in Fig. 1, inwardly immediately above the exposed end of the thermostat and beneath the adjacent lower portion of. the convolution37 so as to protect said convolution from direct exposure to the flame of the pilot. The passage around lip 35 is'provided in order to guard against excessive heating of the thermostat, either from the heat of the pilot, or from the heat of the main burner when the latter happens to be on. This passage, as will be observed, provides for the upward circulation of heated air from beneath the shield, this preventing the thermostat from being unduly influenced or injuriously affected. As previously pointed out, theupstanding lip 35 acts asa shield between the passage and the convolution 37 of the coil, thus preventing any injurious effects to the coil from theheat or products of combustion rising through said passage.

It is not desired to in any way limit or restrict the invention to the particular adaptation shown in the drawings, as the principles of the invention are equally well adaptable to pilot and burner control apparatus of various other types. It will also be obvious that the shield itself is subject to various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit of the invention, and it is not desired, therefore, to limit or restrict the same in any manner except as may be defined in the appended claims.

The invention claimed is:

1. The combination with av gas water heater having a water coil, pilot and pilot thermostat, of a shield supported within the casing of said heater above the pilot and thermostat and between the latter devices and the adjacent convolution of the water coil for protecting the latter from exposure to the flame of the pilot and means for causing circulation of heated gases away from the pilot thermostat.

2. The combination with a gas water heater, ilot and pilot thermostat, of a shield disposed above the pilot and thermostat and between the latter devices and the adjacent convolution of the water coil for protecting the latter from exposure to the flame of the pilot, said shield being cut away at a point ofiset laterally with respect to the adjacent portion of said convolution so as to provide for the upward circulation of heat from beneath said shield to thus provide against excessive heating of the thermostat.

3. The combination with a gas water heater, pilot and pilot thermostat, of a shield disposed above the pilot and thermostat and between the latter devices and the adjacent I convolution of the water coil for protecting the latter from exposure to the flame of the pilot, said shield being cut away at a point offset laterally with respect to the adjacent portion of said convolution so as to provide for the upward circulation of heat from beneath said shield to thus provide against excessive heating of the thermostat, and means for shielding said convolution from the products of combustion risingthrough said cut-away portion.

.4. A protective device of the character described comprising a shielding portion,-

apertured attaching lugs depending from one end thereof, and a lip struck up from said shielding portion and leaving a passage therethrough, said lip acting as a shield 1n res ect of said passage.

n witness whereof, I hereto aflix my signature.

ROY W. JOHNSON. 

